• 1,999 bills, resolutions, and constitutional amendments have been filed in the House & Senate
• 505 bills have passed through committee (25.3%)
• 308 bills have passed one chamber (15.4%)
• 23 bills have passed both chambers (1.2%)
• 6 bills have been signed by the Governor (.3%)

Three bills addressing investigations and penalties for child abuse were discussed in Senate committees this week.

Children’s Courtroom Bill of Rights: HB 1611, establishing a children’s bill of courtroom rights, was heard in the Senate Judiciary Committee last Monday. Witnesses in support of the bill, including the Springfield child advocacy center, have highlighted the special needs of child witnesses who have been victims of abuse. The committee chairman, Senator Matt Bartle, raised concerns that the bill might make it more difficult for prosecutors to determine if a child is lying about sexual abuse. Senator Bartle was particularly concerned of the bill’s impact if Missouri passes legislation allowing capital punishment for child rape (SB1194).

Death Penalty for Child Rape: Incidentally, the committee voted to pass SB1194 the same night and it is now on the Senate Calendar. The Supreme Court is expected to rule later this year on the constitutionality of similar legislation in Louisiana. Partnership for Children opposes SB 1194 because making child rape a capital offense could deter children from reporting their abuse out of fear that a family member or family friend could be put to death.  In addition, those who have been given the death penalty often go through years of appeals.  Putting children who have been victimized through a capital punishment case could make them relive their victimization for many years to come.

Child Abuse & Neglect Registry: Finally, SB1106, sponsored by Sen. Delbert Scott, was heard in Seniors, Families & Public Health last week.  Partnership for Children and our partners across Kansas City and Missouri, worked hard to keep this legislation from moving forward—with 3 weeks remaining in the legislative session, it is unlikely to progress.  There are several provisions that have child advocates concerned. SB 1106 would allow perpetrators to circumvent the Child Abuse and Neglect Review Board and go straight to circuit court. In addition, it would prevent perpetrators names from being placed on the Central Registry while awaiting action by the court, which in some circuits could be as long as three years. 

In addition, this bill requires that trials de novo be conducted under the Missouri criminal rules of evidence instead of the Missouri rules of civil procedure, which shifts the emphasis from focusing on the welfare of the child witness to the alleged perpetrators right to confront the witness. This can result in a court giving less weight to the emotional challenges that a child victim may experience if placed in a position of either choosing to testify in person and face the alleged perpetrator or choosing not to testify and allow the alleged perpetrator to go free.  Partnership for Children opposed this bill in committee.  We were joined by the Missouri Juvenile Justice Association and the Child Advocacy Center of Springfield.  In addition, to testimony provided in committee, several advocates including the Child Protection Center in Kansas City submitted written testimony in opposition.

Woody Cozad of the Heartland Learning Center and Deanna Gallagher testified in favor of SB1106.

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The budget must be approved by May 9. 

The Senate took up and perfected SB1283, sponsored by Sen. Tom Dempsey this week.   The Insure Missouri piece of the bill was amended and improved thanks to the actions by the Missouri Budget Project and our key advocacy organizations.  The new language clarifies that parents/caregivers with incomes under 100% of federal poverty level would not have to have health savings accounts and would not be subject to high deductive costs.  The bill passed by the Senate added an affordability test similar to that in the SCHIP program and allows for disregarding a small amount of unearned income.

The House version of Insure Missouri, HCS HB2413, sponsored by Doug Ervin, is significantly different from SB1283.  According to analysis by the Missouri Budget Project, the House bill requires individuals to find insurance in the private market.  It would also require the use of a waiver for the entire expansion. Waivers require the federal funding to be capped, which means the state, over time, will need to assume an increasing cost burden.  The buzz around Missouri is that there are not enough votes in the House to pass this bill.  Many hospitals are opposed to the bill due in part to a provision that allows hospital expansion without a certificate of need. 

This week, language was amended to HB1516 that would make home visiting by nurses reimbursable through the MoHealthNet Program.  Rep. Jason Holsman has stand alone legislation (HB 2423) and recently had a hearing on his bill.  The amendment, offered by Rep. Jason Holsman, passed by a voice vote.

Home visiting is a long-standing, well-known prevention strategy used by states and communities to improve the health and well-being of women, children, and families, particularly those who are at risk. Early investments in home visiting programs have been shown to reduce costs due to foster care placements, hospitalizations and emergency room visits, unintended pregnancies, and other more costly interventions.  Currently, states fund their home visiting programs through a number of different funding streams including Medicaid, the State Children’s Health Insurance Program, The Title V Maternal and Child Health Services Block Grant, and TANF.   About a dozen of the nearly 30 states with home visiting programs cover this service under their Medicaid program, either through reimbursement rates, targeted case management dollars or targeted case management administrative funds.

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